Tag Archives: Humpback whale watching

As summer slowly comes to its final days and the weather turns to fall, Monterey is just heating up as our summer season takes off in August and with it comes the local wildlife, such as the migrating Humpbacks.

These creatures of the deep sea depths migrate up and down the coastline year after year searching for krill along the canyon walls, some reaching the length of a bus and weighing in at about 40 tons. These are one of the few varieties of whales that visit Monterey that have the most unusual behavior. Unlike most pods, these whales breach, fin slap, and play amongst each other in the kelp forests which are rarely seen by the public. They’ve been known to chase schools of anchovies inland trapping them where the schools eventually suck up all the oxygen resulting in mass amounts of dead anchovies washing up. These whales are also romantics at heart as the males engage in love songs to attract their mate whom can hear it from miles away as it echoes off the sea walls.

However, the best way to experience these encounters of course is on the water, not but a few feet away from them as they breach from the ocean spraying water and bubbles above the surface. Incidentally, we at the Old Monterey Inn would be more than happy to arrange an opportunity for a whale watching excursion or perhaps a package that includes not only a whole days’ worth of Kayaking, but a small burlap bag of snacks, towels, and your choice of enjoying a day in the bay or out in a wetland sanctuary known as Elk Horn Slough. If that wasn’t enough to get you excited, then perhaps a dining certificate included within this package will top off your exhausting day sea bound. This certificate can be used at three wonderful dining places located on our website. We hope to see you soon as this experience of a lifetime won’t last for long!